Phone scammers take advantage of Flint water crisis

State Police: Phone scammers take advantage of Flint water crisis
Up North Live
By: Michael Gordon
2.10.16

Phone scammers are now trying to use the ongoing Flint water crisis to their advantage, according to Michigan State Police.

WPBN/WGTU — During several phone calls to residents around Otsego County, scammers identified themselves as representatives of a local charity and asked for money to help purchase water for the City of Flint.

Police say the phone numbers that were used had foreign area codes and may have originated from outside the United States.

"But that doesn't necessarily mean that we have a paper trail," said Michigan State Police Trooper Corey Hebner. "A lot of times these numbers can be manipulated and made to throw us off the trail."

Residents are warned that a second part of the scam may occur if a person tries to call the scammers number back, which can trigger an automatic charge on their phone bill.

Police are asking that anyone who comes into contact with these scammers turn over any information they get regarding the callers gender and location.